The GOLDEN GROVE was built in 1780 at Whitby, as a wooden cargo vessel.
Three masted, ship rigged.
Tonnage 331 ton burthen, dim. 31.4 x 8.8m.
1786 Chartered by the Navy Board as a storeship for a voyage to Botany Bay, New South Wales.
At that time her owner is given as Leighton & Co.
13 May 1787 the GOLDEN GROVE together with the other ships of the First Fleet sailed from the Solent, she was under command of Captain William Sharp, with a crew of 21 and had also on board Chaplain Richard Johnson his wife and a servant for Rev. Johnson, Samuel Barnes and his wife.
With calls at Tenerife, Rio de Janeiro and South Africa were most of the livestock was bought, which mostly was put on board the storeships, before she sailed to Botany Bay.
During the voyage on three occasions during bad weather she lost her fore topgallant masts.
20 January 1788 arrived at Botany Bay, which she left again with the other ships of the fleet for the short voyage to Port Jackson, where her stores were discharged.
20 July 1788 sailed from Port Jackson for Norfolk Island with on board Lieutenant Ball and provision, she returned 26 August in Port Jackson.
02 October 1788 was she used to transport detachment mariners, two seamen and 11 female convicts to Norfolk Island.
19 November 1788 she sailed from the colony together with the FISHBURN and via Cape Horn she arrived in the Falkland Islands where she stayed for anchor for several days to give sick crew member time to recuperate of scurvy.
09 June 1789 she arrived at Deptford.
1793 She was registered in Newcastle.
12 January 1799 registration transferred to Liverpool, and most probably used in the Liverpool to Jamaica run.
1804 re-registered in Liverpool, then there are no further records on the ship.
See also http://www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewt ... =2&t=10907
Norfolk Islands 1987 55c sg422, scott?
Source: The Convict Ships 1788-1868 by Charles Bateson. Various web-sites.